Dan Gillerman, former israel UN ambassador 2002-8

Wonderful speaker - excellent communicator - warm and the right touch of humor, realism and hope.

The remainder of the day was free for us, we walked thought the tel aviv Shuk and bought chazerai as well as some good juices and foodstuff

We have packed up and will soon have a Wrapp up federation discussion and then It's off to closing ceremonies on an army base and to the airport. There we will say out goodbyes bc we will pick up a minivan and be off to the rose of castel B&b across the hwy from mevasserett tZion and we will have at least a few days with rfi to ourselves!! Yeah!! Unfortunately he twisted his ankle but I'm confident hell suck it up!

Atlit, Beit Sh'arim, Ceasarea

Today we awoke in our new location to which we arrived last night, the David intercontinental hotel on the tel Aviv shore of the Mediterranean. The breakfast here was a little weird - they explained they have many Asians who like Miso soup in the morning! There was no explanation for lasagna.

But I digress from the more important parts of the travelogue. We started off to Atlit which is what remains of a detention camp that held holocaust survivors and others during the British mandate. Seeing how similar they are to concentration camps - putting ourselves in their place - it must have been terrifying until they realized and understood that despite the similarities, they had food, rest and security.

The outdoor park like atmosphere included a ship they recreated to be most like the ships that transported Jews to the holy land. The innovation they used was amazing - the portholes suddenly turn Ed on which meant the window became a tv screen projecting the waves of the ocean flying by. The ground and walls shook and vibrated and like many an exhibit we experienced, one could identify with the immigrants and even feel the feelings they must have felt. After the ship tour, it would have been preferable to stop - the kids were on information overload and the adults were not doing much better.

Beit Shearim, a little further south of Atlit is a series of caves that were discovered that were filled with sarcophagi attributed to the rabbis of the Sanhedrin including Yedudah HaNasi who redacted the Mishnah. There had been

Movement mayamuna theatre

What an amazing show. All the performers have their specialties but they all dance, do acrobatics, sing, drum and play guitar!!

They utilize the sights motions and sounds from the audience and make sound loops, pictures and video on screen as accoutrements to their performance.

Independence Hall and Palmach museum

The imdepemdence hall is where Ben gurion declared Israel a state on Friday may 14, 1948 at 3pm. It was actually the jome of dissengoff who donated it
To tel aviv after his wides passing with the request that it be maintained as an art museum. It had been closed for renovations until recently and the most interesting part of this is that the renovation uncovered a wall that remained from the original dissengoff home.

This is a brief tour. It doesn't require more than 1/2 hr. but it's less interesting for kids generally.

The Palmach museum is great especially for kids 12 and up id say bc the members of the palmach were actually in their young teens when they began their resistance and missions

Walking through a recreation of the experience over the years approximately 1943-48. Sounds smells and touch of the period and experience. Some sitting but films usually brief none longer than 15 mins.

It adds greatly to the experience that it is run completely by young members of the army in uniform.

Yad Vasheim

Our guide told us that she from a young age knew she wanted to something meaningful to extend the memory of the Shoah and this is what it became. I'm sure most of the guides are excellent but I prefer to believe we hit the best. We were also fortunate to be a very small group comprised only of our family and another of only 3. Unlike the other groups which were 20-30, we really had an intimate feeling.

I had not been to Yad Vasheim in many years. I believe that until I brought our frelatives (more on this term later on) to the d.c. Holocaust museum last fall, I had allowed myself to feel somewhat numbed to the holocaust.

Our guide stated a few times that the cynics of holocaust memorials and films like to say there is no business like Shoah business' yet, truly, the best business is what the Germans made from the Shoah. Looting Jewish possessions. Only G-d knows how many rings of gold remain in German families that were made from the fillings ripped from Jewish mouths before gassings and crematoriums.

Most holocaust survivors report that in the immediate decades after liberation, retelling the experience was too painful for it was as reliving the experience. As they rebuilt their lives by plowing full force ahead, giving testimony and recording these facts became a priority. There is an inevitability that someday soon, the few remaining survivors will join their loved ones in olam haba. Before this day arrives, much can be done to bring persons testimony to Jew and non-Jew alike.

It struck me that perhaps in a much less intense and reasoned manner, a person empowered to inspire Jewish children with hope and pride in the Jewish people, needs to focus more on the present victories and accomplishments than dwell educationally on the humiliation of the past.

Now I found myself in this place of disturbing horrific testimony. I myself nearly the end of my own 5th decade on earth, the time had appropriately arrived to focus again on the Shoah.

There is no sense in me recounting the mass of shoes or the locks of hair. There was far more than could ever be recalled just as there would always be more to see and experience in every visit.

A few kilometers from gaza

Today we experienced the south west of israel, communities close to gaza. We began at Netivot and heard from the leadership of the Ethiopian traditional synagogue where we were blessed by them the we heard the story of of the widow of siyum Tsagay- who was one of 40+ firefighters sent to rescue Palestinian prisoners from the Carmel fires of 2010. The bus became engulfed in flames and they all died there.

She spoke of her shock and of the worst difficulty she has explaining to her three children why their father will never come back and kiss them goodbye

We then visited kibbutz Alumim a modern orthodox kibbutz that has taken many Kassam rockets over the years - so many that some residents have made artful use of the metal that has rained down on their community.

Among the many lawn ornaments, is something with more function. The man who took rocket parts and discarded old piping from the milking machinery and fashioned a wind chime stated that he hopes every time the wind blows, the sound of the ringing chimes will reach the people of Gaza. The ultimate fulfillment of his dream will come when these tones will successfully communicate the sole intention they have of peace.

Next we were brought to the kibbutz youth 'elephant library' where we were treated to a play acted out by the kibbutz children. The play is based upon a book written by a kibbutz member titled 'tzeva Adom' the color red. When the sirens sound warning of incoming missiles and the need to move a s quickly as possible to the comb shelter it is called 'color red' as we would say 'code red'. It seems that children began to be afraid of the color red and the rest can be read on the copy unpicked and will soon reside in my synagogue library.

Then it was back to Netivot where we were treated to performances and delicacies as well as local artisans selling wares and a feast and mizrachi/rock fusion concert.

Mazel Tov X 20 something

Thank you to the Israel Campus of HUC (Hebrew Union College) the educational institution of the Reform movement. The setting of their dining room and its terrace was truly magnificent for such a ceremony.

Working together with Rabbi Adam Wohlberg on this program made it easy and smooth. Over 20 children and adults became Bnei Mitzvah at this service. For some this was a prelude to a larger more individualized service which will take place in the coming months. For others, who expressed different versions of this sentiment, this event ended decades of feeling something missing.

Some expressed never having had the opportunity for financial or religious reasons, but all I believe will agree, it was an unforgettable and moving experience. It was inspirational to see people advanced in age, take part intimately for the first time in any jewish service. The young people who participated worked to prepare their sections and executed them expertly.

On a more personal note, our dear friend Baruch Schwartz came even before we began the service with a package from his wife Berta. What you ask was in the package? Only her delicious Mandel bread of which we never get enough.

Rose led the Ashrei as she learned to the Shabbat mincha nusach that we posit indicates the sadness that the end of shabbat is near. Would that the magic of shabbat and its prism view of olam haba remain. Rory chanted the 2nd Aliyah of paras hat vayechi and did we shepp naches!

A Magical Shabbat in ירושלים

It was truly a magical shabbat. It began with Kabbalat shabbat where we had the unexpected yet extremely pleasurable accompaniment of drummers guitarists and vocalists!! A delicious relaxed meal at Beit Shmuel and a well- deserved sleep.

Shabbat morning I was reunited with friends from former lives in Camps Ramah at Kehillat Mayanot in Arnona. In the early afternoon we visited with our dear dear friends the Martzianos to whom we are eternally grateful.

They have adopted Rafi like a son just as their parents did for me when Ronald Reagan was president!

In my next post, I'll describe the group Bnei Mitzvah at mincha/maariv/havdalah which put the icing on the cake of a magical shabbat. Right now the bus to Masada is a bit too shaky for me to continue.

Your shirt needs sewing

Today, my son was putting on his uniform and I said, "Rafi your shirt has a hole near the underarm." I was thinking if he had his sewing kit, I would gladly sew it up for him.

Now I have found that it really is wonderful to learn from one's child. I mean it with sincerity. Nonetheless, there can be pain in knowledge and fear after revelation of purpose and splendor in beholding them both.

"No Abbsie, the hole is supposed to be there to make it easier to rip down if I get shot."

Smooth Flight - emotional reunion

Early hours of morning 12/20 we land at Ben Gurion. A fairly smooth process through passport control and luggage collection and we are on our way by bus to our first stop - Neot kedumim http://www.neot-kedumim.org.il/ is a nature preserve devoted to maintaining the biblical landscape. A lively welcoming ceremony with IDF Nachal singers and delicious breakfast is had by all and many of us enjoy lattes or as called here הפוך.

Next stop: sifting at the garbage dump archeological site just below Har hatzofim.
http://templemount.wordpress.com/. Fascinating story that ending with piles of artifacts dumped near Hebrew University.

1:30pm from here we take our first side journey from the group. On this, our very first day ba-aretz(in the land), two other AJ boys who made aliyah last august, will be sworn in to the idf at their tekes- ceremony at Latrun. http://www.yadlashiryon.com/show_item.asp?levelId=64950

This is a large outdoor amphitheater and tank museum closer to where we had been at Neot kedumim. A very pleasant Immanuel is our driver who takes us all in his minivan/cab. The CD player provides us Louis Armstrong as a companion.

Once at Latrun, we are no longer at a touristy location. A purely Israeli experience. No English, no hype, just parents friends and relatives coming to see their loved ones receive their bible and gun. Picnics are schlepped in with beautiful baby sisters and brothers by a cross section of Israeli society with at least this one thing in common - a new recruit to the idf.

It is highly emotional for me to see our newly closer friends, Howard and Barbara Weitz, their daughter Hannah and Miriam Smerling - there for their respective son/brothers Ben Weitz and Aaron Smerling.

They are so happy- the boys- the MEN! For us, it is surreal.

Later that same day:

I don't think I've truly processed what has happened. I am certainly well-aware that our eldest child made this decision in his heart several years ago. I am ever - reminded of it by the many people I encounter during my day who follow Rafi's blog or simply inquire, 'how's the soldier?'

Since that August day when we met at JFK with so many other Olim and 126 other would be soldiers getting on that Aliyah flight, I have not touched my b'chor - my first child, my boy Refael Gorfain Glantz. All of our communication has been electronically conveyed and while most grateful to the Internet, skype and Facebook, I didn't consider the emotion that would overwhelm me when finally, only inches separated us from an embrace outside the Bible Lands museum in Jerusalem last night.

There is much more to write.

The speech by Jerusalem mayor and the curator of the museum.

Seeing the interaction of my children.

Return to hotel to 'sleep'

Remy is hungry after a full meal and Rafi is itching to take him out for felafel and they go and we collapse. It has been a good two days in hours crammed into one with many unforgettable moments in time

The Mega Mission to Israel

We've been blessed to have taken the whole family to Israel twice prior to this trip. First with Grandmama who had never been, in 05 and last with Bubby z"l in 08. We are anticipating this trip as one that will be completely unique.

Not only are we part of a very large group from Philadelphia, but we are also greatly looking forward to seeing Rafi. He is in his first month of boot camp with the IDF after making Aliyah just this last August.

So 8:30 Wednesday morning 12/19 we meet up with several other mission participants at the AJ parking lot and begin our travels with a bus ride to Newark.